Michael Owen next Liverpool manager candidate has just been taken off the market

While Jurgen Klopp's sole concentration is on the five games he has remaining as Liverpool manager, the focus behind the scenes is on who will replace him.

Klopp's nine-year stint as Reds boss is coming to a conclusion. And, fittingly, given the success and joy he has brought to the fan base, he could yet go out with a bang.

Liverpool cross Stanley Park on Wednesday to take on Merseyside rivals Everton in the midst of a three-way battle for the Premier League. Sunday's morale-boosting 3-1 win at Fulham means Klopp's side moved level on points with leaders Arsenal, who boast a better goal difference.

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Manchester City sit a point behind the top two, with a game in hand, and remain the favourites to retain the crown they have claimed for the last three seasons. But the Reds are certainly not out of the running and the only focus on the training pitch and the changing room is winning the title, which would be the perfect leaving gift for their much-loved manager.

But away from the training pitch and changing room, FSG's new CEO of Football Michael Edwards and Liverpool's new sporting director Richard Hughes are continuing their search for the man who will take over from Klopp at the end of the campaign.

After Xabi Alonso's decision to remain with treble-chasing Bayer Leverkusen, it appeared that Ruben Amorim was the leading contender. However, a report from The Athletic suggests that is no longer the case.

But could the solution be found in the Premier League?

Unai Emery has led Aston Villa into the the Champions League places and into the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League in his first full season in charge of the club after taking over from Anfield legend Steven Gerrard in October 2022.

Michael Owen is certainly a fan of Emery, who won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla, including in 2016 when they beat Klopp's Liverpool in the final, another with Villarreal, and five major trophies with Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Reds striker said of the ex-Arsenal boss: “I think there are so many different ways a manager show their worth. Some managers can only work if they have got a lot of money and they are very good at selecting certain players.

“Some are brilliant on a shoe-string; if you give them money, they are not very good at spending it. Some can improve players. I think this guy certainly can, he has shown that.

“Actually it feels like he is an all-round manager. I mean, he can win trophies as well. He has got a career littered with trophies. He is into a semi-final as well of a European competition, and he is incredible in Europe.”

However, it appears that Emery is off the market. David Ornstein of The Athletic, who also broke yesterday's Amorim news, has reported this morning that the Spaniard has agreed a new contract with Villa.